Dean Alexander & Ryan Cady
American Hardcore
Cincinnati, OH
website


Dean, after spending a year away from the band you recently re-joined American Hardcore.
Why were you kicked out of the band to begin with?

DA: Apparently, the guys wanted to "reinvent" their sound...and I was drinking pretty heavy at the time...basically to answer your question...I have no fucking clue...I know one thing though...You should never get Gary Cherone when you already have David Lee Roth...Know what I mean?

RC: It was more the drinking heavy and loss of focus on what was going on.  Jim and myself had more of a business eye and a hot rod don't run with a flat tire.  We had hit our peak and instead of capitalizing on that; the focus went to party time all the time and something had to change.  We were not out to reinvent ourselves it is just a natural progression when you have two totally different players in the mix.

While Dean was gone, American Hardcore went on to record a second album with vocal newcomer Brad Vance.  The album won you guys a Cincinnati Entertainment Award for Best Hard Rock album of the year.  Why did you guys recently let go of Brad if things were going so good for you?

RC: One thing that always worried me a little bit about Brad was the fact that he did not have much experience as far as being a part of a band and he brought a totally different feel to the music and made it more "metal", which was great for the songs on the disc, but some of the cock swagger was lost in that and I'm kind of a dick about that cause to me that is what makes it fun and dirty; make the ladies wanna shake their hips ya know.  But in all fairness to Brad, he is a fuckin' great singer with really strong pipes, but we just had a different outlook.  And I'm not totally sure but I think he was kinda burnt on the whole thing too...or maybe just me!


Dean, what did you think of that CD they did with Brad?

DA: I like one song...and I was a tad upset to hear music I co-wrote with the lyrics stripped...that was my heart and soul...I felt cheated I guess, ya know...and not once did I see my name in the writing credits...but...who gives a shit...that's in the past...I liked the packaging...that was about it.

RC: Touche, Kick in the ole coin purse luv.

Will you guys still be playing songs from that second cd live?

RC: Yes we will.   We're gonna play some from the first disc and some from "No Apologies" and from an EP we recorded before the split and some new stuff nobody has heard yet and it fuckin rules!

Dean, after you departure from American Hardcore, you got the gig playing bass for Blacklist Union out in L.A.  I'm sure a lot of people are curious what happened out there? Why did you end up coming back to Cincinnati?

DA: Lots O' Reasons...One was my chic was struggling financially without me...and I don't give a fuck if you're Guns N' Roses...Family comes first!!   Plus...Right before I left, Ryan put a little bug in my ear that they were wanting me back in the mix...Well...that kinda stuck in my head.  Hardcore is my gig man...I love playing bass...but I belong in a different spot...and American Hardcore is it.  My opinion...Best group of guys I have ever worked with even thru all the bullshit....So I said Fuck it man...I'm going back to where I belong.

RC: Home Sweet Home...I got a tear in my eye.

I often hear bands complaining about the Cincinnati music scene. Yet American Hardcore shows always seem to be very well attended, what are you guys doing right that other bands aren’t.

DA: Showmanship...Sex...Reality...We sell rock and roll the way it should be sold.  It makes me sad to see someone stand there and not move...I've left national shows cause I felt jipped out of my money... You come to an American Hardcore show...You're getting what rock was founded on.  A fucking production...A show... If ya wanna just LISTEN and not see anything, stay home and listen to the disc. 

RC: Promotion on more levels than just internet sites or putting flyers on cars outside a Hardcore show...and what Dean said, the cocktail is explosive!

Is American Hardcore in this to get a deal and become rock stars or do you even think about that?

DA: Personally, I could give two shits about a deal.  I left one.  I just wanna be happy doing what I do...Being me...and to be honest, just because you get a deal doesn't mean ya get money with it.
In my eyes, being a rockstar is about the way you carry yourself...and not to sound conceited, but I see the four of us as rockstars.   Who cares about Douchebag Records if they can't even get you to the next town or distribute your shit...If I was in this for money, I would have quit at 14!

RC: If you do it right, you don't need a deal.  But you can't be lazy and think they are gonna find you cause 100 people come to watch you play.  If you have the confidence to invest in yourself both time and financially you can have success.  You may not be opening for Spinal Tap at the Enormodome, but hey we all have our goals now don't we.

So now that Dean is back in the band have you guys written any new tunes yet?
Where is the direction of the music headed?

RC: There are a few tunes that Jim and John had worked out and Dean is adding his brand of swagger to it and it is just fuckin' flat out killer it is kind of a mix of old and new with lot's of fuckin attitude.

You also have a new drummer in the band. Tell us a little about him and how you hooked up.

RC: His name is Chris Cox.  He called about trying out so we set him up one day when we were gonna have two guys out; one early and one later in the day.  Chris was first and he showed up prepared and excited to play, so we bashed a few out and kinda looked at each other and thought maybe we should give the other guy a call and just put it off for a minute so we could continue jamming with Chris.  After a while, we kinda felt he was the guy and when we took a break; the other guy had sent an email saying he could not do it for whatever reason...so it kinda worked out like that...and now you have your American Hardcore for 2007!

Before finding your new drummer did you ever consider asking original drummer Todd Charles to rejoin the band?

DA: FUCK TODD!!..LOVE..DEAN ALEXANDER...LOL..NEXT QUESTION.

RC: Todd was invited but declined.

How important is image to what you guys do?

DA: Image is huge.  I mean, what's a good rock band without eye candy?  Jim Morrison...Guns N' Roses...Alice Cooper...Kiss...Where would we be without image?  I'd be bored to shit watching a band like say...umm...3 Doors Down...That's just not true rock fashion.

RC: I grew up on Motley Crue and KISS, so it is what rock is to me.  That's the part that rolls, those guys, when I was younger I would look at magazines or CD covers of the band and just thought those were the coolest dudes on earth, so it is naturally gonna be in my style, years on the street learning your ways in the dirty business of rock n roll gives you the attitude.

What goals do you guys have for the near future?

DA: Sex, Drugs and Violence...Lol...I'll just leave it at that!!

RC: To keep this line up together long enough to stir some shit up in 2007 and beyond. 


Your friends are close to you. Keep them that way.